This recap was provided by Academy member Kristy Harris, who lives in England, and ran this as her first marathon.
The Firenze (Florence) Marathon in Firenze, Italy, is in its 33rd year and this year was a new course.
We rented an airBnB in downtown Florence with a view of the Duomo. This was perfect as the start and finish were literally steps away from the apartment.
The only downside to our apartment is it was a 5th story walk up! Continue Reading →
A quadriceps strain, also known as a quad pull or thigh strain, is a relatively common running injury.
Strains can range from a mild discomfort to a full blown tear of most of the muscle which can result in severe pain and the inability to run or walk. The injury typically happens when one or more of the quadriceps muscles become overloaded.
In this post you will discover the factors that increase your risk of straining your quadriceps, and learn specific strategies to implement during your rehabilitation and return to activity. Continue Reading →
In the weeks leading up to the Indianapolis Monumental on Nov. 5, I was feeling properly trained, thanks to Angie Spencer and MTA Coaching.
Her plans have guided me through two ultras and then onto recovery and preparing for Indy.
I knew I was physically ready for my first real attempt at qualifying for the Boston Marathon, which would mean a 3:25 or better. But I also needed to make sure that I was mentally prepared for the challenge. Continue Reading →
The 2016 Rio Olympics brought new light to an old treatment–cupping. The world stared as athletes like Michael Phelps proudly displayed his petechia for the world to see.
Petechia is the medical term for the purplish bruise that can form with certain types of cupping techniques.
After seeing so many Olympic athletes with bruises this year, the rest of us were left wondering about this trend of using cupping as a medical treatment or sports enhancement treatment. Does cupping really work? Can I utilize cupping as a self-treatment method for common running related pains? Continue Reading →
Eric Strand saw a 1999 marathon as a one-time thing. Now, thanks in part to Dean Karnazes, Strand has completed dozens of marathons and the Leadville 100 five times.
By Henry Howard
Eric Strand had been fascinated by long-distance running ever since Frank Shorter won the marathon gold medal in the 1972 Olympics.
Years passed and before he knew it, 39-year-old Strand had just finished graduate school and his kids were becoming self-sufficient. “I’d always wanted to run a marathon and everyone knows you can’t run 26.2 miles once you turn 40, so I signed up for the 2000 Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn.,” he said.
That year — 1999 — he finished the “one and done” marathon. But instead of hanging up the running shoes, Strand has upped his running game to a total of 60 marathons and ultras. Continue Reading →
Low back pain (LBP) can be so severe and debilitating that it can completely derail your training.
It’s hard to run if your back, buttocks or leg hurts. You either won’t try to do it or you try to suffer through it only to be rewarded with worsening symptoms later on. However, initial activity and exercise are critical when treating LBP. Continue Reading →
Even as my health has improved, I wasn’t sure about my overall outlook. InsideTracker’s report reveals my successes and guides me on where to improve.
By Henry Howard
I began running about five years ago as a way to improve on my health and cross “finish a marathon” off my bucket list. The side benefits have included eating a healthier diet and eliminating soda — with the exception of a rum and coke from time to time. Continue Reading →
I had no idea what lay ahead when I recently lined up at the starting line for my first ultra race, the Buckeye Trail 50K in Brecksville, Ohio.
I had completed 13 marathons previously, including one on a trail — the North Face Endurance Challenge Series in Wisconsin last year.
I knew I had trained well and had my nutrition dialed in. We got a break from the weather — the long-range forecasts of thunderstorms had given way to a nice 60-degree day start.
There was no rain in the forecast and the temperature would be in the mid-70s around my anticipated finishing time. Not bad at all for July.
Oh, about that anticipated finishing time. That was an eye-opener! Continue Reading →
Bryon Powell and Meghan Hicks running a trail in Moab, Utah. Credit Kirsten
Kortebein
About 10 years ago, she combined her loves of running and the outdoors by exploring the sport of trail running. In 2013, she won the Marathon des Sables in Morocco, the world’s oldest and largest expedition trail-running race.
Now, as Hicks prepares to run the Hardrock 100 trail race, she and partner Bryon Powell have put their love of the outdoors, trail knowledge and passion for the sport into a 226-page book, “Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running.” Continue Reading →
Debbie’s BQ finish
By Henry Howard
Bill and Debbie Gelber were happy and in love when they committed to each other at their wedding ceremony in 2007.
But when they flipped through their wedding photos, they were both surprised at how much weight they had gained. Debbie was approaching her 40th birthday and Bill would soon turn 50.
Thus began another commitment for the couple: helping each other on the path to good health, which eventually led to more than 100 races for her and plenty of others for him. Continue Reading →
The number one reason why runners won’t reach their goals is also one of the most preventable reasons: injury! Nothing derails a perfectly developed training plan like an injury.
The most common injury to runners is also the most common injury for those in the western world: low back pain (LBP). LBP is estimated to affect nearly 80% of the U.S. population at one time or another. And worse yet, once you have experienced an episode of LBP you have a 90% chance of having a reoccurrence. Continue Reading →
Public relations professional mixes business with pleasure — promoting race events and setting new personal bests.
By Henry Howard
Unlike all the other athletes I have featured in this blog, I personally know Meg Fingert. In fact, we met before either of us were runners.
At the time, about six years ago, I was recruiting Purdue University students to assist with a new website and Fingert was a college student. Ironically, she was among the students in the first class I taught at Purdue a couple of years later.
Since then, we have both graduated onto bigger and better things, including marathons. But this is her story – the story of a self-proclaimed “non-runner” who is eyeing a 50-state goal. Continue Reading →
